i saw a plastic surgeon and she said my best option is a mini face lift with lipo suction my cheeks closer to my moth due to heaviness I'm 5.4 and 167 pounds I'm still losing weight i know my cheeks will look thinner is all that necessary or is there another way to fix my slightly sagging cheeks without something that invasive I hate to be left with scars

Doctor Answers (20)

Surgery after weight loss

January 9th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

At 34 years of age there is no reason for a mini lift. At 5 feet 4 inches and 167 pounds the only thing that is necessary is continuing weight loss. It is extremely important to be height/weight proportionate before undergoing elective facial cosmetic surgery.

Surgery vs weight loss

December 29th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

Wait on facial plastic surgery until you have lost the weight you want to lose. At your age, it is quite possible that a non-invasive treatment like laser skin tightening might provide the results you are hoping to achieve.

Weight loss and surgery

April 19th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

I tell my patients to lose as much weight as they possibly can before any surgery and a great deal depends on skin tone and elasticity. It’s very difficult to definitively answer your question without seeing you, or at the very least seeing a photo. You may well be a good candidate for a mini-facelift with liposuction and you may also benefit from a second opinion from another Board Certified Plastic Surgeon.

Facelift Pictures

Losing weight vs facial surgery

January 24th, 2013

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

With the description you've given, weight loss is the most important thing for you. Your health is much more important than any further changes in your face, and getting down toward your ideal body weight will be good for you. If you did decide to pursue facial surgery in the future, you will be better off having lost the weight so hold off on surgery for now.

Facelift at age 34

Thank you for your question. While it is impossible to give specific advice without an actual exam, I can give you some thoughts.

Ideally, it would be best to complete your weight loss before doing anything to your face. With weight loss, you may have additional volume loss in your face and cheeks. This can change the ultimate plan of what can be done.

There are many options for treatment of aging changes of the face. These can include both surgical options and non-surgical options such as lasers and injectables. Once your weight loss is complete and your weight has stabilized, your face should be evaluated and the options discussed.

Sagging cheeks and facelift

December 14th, 2012

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

Thanks for your question. It is difficult to give you the best recommendation without pictures of your face and a formal consultation. 34 years old is usually on the younger side to undergo a facelift, however there are other non invasive options such as Ulthera which tigthens skins around the jowls and cheek without incisions using ultrasound technology.

If the cheeks are truly the area where there is excessive fat, then a buccal fat removal may be the best option. This is a minor procedure where an incision is made inside the mouth or through a facelift incision to remove fat in your cheeks.

It is best to get within 10-20 lbs of your target weight before considering any facial rejuvenative procedure.

I hope this helps and I always recommend consultation with a board-certified specialist to help you achieve the results you desire

Sagging Cheeks

December 13th, 2012

{{ voteCount >= 0 ? '+' + (voteCount + 1) : (voteCount + 1) }}

While it is difficult to make a recommendation without a proper evaluation, there are other ways to address sagging in the cheeks without having a facelift. Because of the important structures in the cheeks, I usually recommend buccal fat removal instead of liposuction, but this again depends on your facial structure and amount of sagging. Please consult with a board certified specialist who can best assist you in achieving the results you seek.

These answers are for educational purposes and should not be relied upon as
a substitute for medical advice you may receive from your physician. If you
have a medical emergency, please call 911. These answers do not constitute
or initiate a patient/doctor relationship.